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One of the coolest features of Windows Phone 8.1 is the Cortana voice assistant.
While it still has it quirks, updates are flowing in all
the time and many have grown to love it. A new interview Search Engine
Land conducted with a Windows Phone team member suggests that Microsoft may
be looking to bring Cortana over to the other two major mobile platforms,
Android and iOS.
While Marcus Ash, the interviewed Microsoft employee,
doesn’t explicitly state that Cortana is coming to Android and iOS, he says
Microsoft is definitely considering it. Here’s the exact quote:
"We want to scale Cortana internationally and across
devices. The Android/iOS question is interesting. We’re asking, would Cortana
be as effective if she didn’t have access to the details on your phone? We’re
still trying to get Cortana adopted on Windows Phone and figure out what it
wants to become there. But we’re actively talking about this.
It’s not too likely that Cortana will take a huge bite out
of the market share of Siri and Google Now, its two most major competitors, if
it does end up making its way to Android and iOS but this wouldn’t be the first
time Microsoft has supported a competitor — Nokia, now part of Microsoft’s
Devices group, released the Android-based Nokia X smartphone fairly
recently. Because of this previous example, having Cortana on Android and iOS
could be logical, but we’re not too convinced Microsoft will do it.
Ash also stated that there are no plans to monetize Cortana
with ads just yet, which is good to hear.
Hackers have stolen the personal data of 1.3 million customers from the French branch of mobile network operator and internet service provider Orange. The hackers have access to names, email addresses and phone numbers.
Orange France has been aware of the hack since 18 April but delayed announcements to asses the damage. Earlier this year, Orange saw the personal data of 800,000 of its clients stolen in a similar attack. "For the people concerned, the data recovered includes their first names and surnames," an Orange representative said. "In addition, depending on the information supplied, email addresses, mobile and fixed-line phone numbers, the identity of the person's internet operator and their date of birth, were also recovered."
Orange was not able to say whether the stolen data was encrypted, although the company has warned customers that the theft could be used to contact those concerned by email, SMS or phone, particularly for phishing purposes. Customers have expressed their anger at the situation on the companys Facebook page and across Twitter.
An Orange representative said: "All necessary actions have been implemented to correct the relevant technical dysfunctions and to prevent any new illegitimate access to this data."
Phishing for data
Phishing is a process of acquiring sensitive information, such as passwords or bank details, by indirect means, often using social engineering techniques to deceive users. A typical phishing email will provide a link to a cloned version of a legitimate website, which hackers can then use to harvest login details from unsuspecting individuals. Some Orange France customers are now at more risk from these attacks than others - if you think you may be at affected, guidance from Get Safe Online suggests users should check that websites are secure before entering any private information. Basic measures such as ensuring the padlock symbol in the address bar is visible when entering an alleged secure website could save many individuals from becoming victims of a phishing scam. A similar instance of data theft within the telecommunications industry occurred in September 2013, which saw Vodafone Germany fall victim to a hacker who claimed to have stolen the personal data of two million customers.
iPro Lens System Now for iPhone 5, 5S, 4/4S, Galaxy S4, & iPads
The iPro Lens System of versatile interchangeable lenses has been expanded so it is now compatible with even more devices including iPhone 5, 5S, and 4/4S, as well as Samsung Galaxy S4, and current iPads.
Designed by professional lens and filter maker, Schneider Optics, the iPro Lens System is purpose-built to enable professional quality photographic and video imagery with smartphones and iPads by adding the benefits of interchangeable Macro, Wide Angle, Super Wide, Fisheye, and Telephoto lenses to capture more in every shot.
These five interchangeable lenses optically capture the image without sacrificing valuable pixels. For a wider field of view, the space expanding Wide Angle adds 35% and the Super Wide adds 50% more coverage so there's no more backing up against the wall to get a large group or object in a confined space. For wide action or scenic shots there's nothing like the Fisheye's 165-degrees for extraordinary angles. The 2X Tele compresses space getting close-up to the action so shots from the audience of sporting events or the school play let you zero in on the subject. The Macro lens has 2.5X magnification and provides razor-sharp details giving small subjects or objects a big presence. The iPro Lens System's professional optics are simple to use, easy to handle, and smartly self-storing in an integral black case that doubles as a handle.
Now there are purpose-built cases for the Galaxy S4 as with the iPhone 5, 5S, and 4/4S, so the lenses simply thread on and are ready to shoot. With a slide-on design, the rugged 2-piece cases offer fast installation and removal and an easy-to-handle soft touch feel. A quick bayonet mount securely fastens the lenses to the custom iPro cases.
The new iPro Lens Clip is designed to securely fit the latest models of iPad Mini, iPad Mini with retina display, iPad Air and iPad 2. Owners have the versatility to use the same iPro lenses on either the smart device's built-in iSight camera or Facetime camera. The Clip is quick and easy to install without altering the iPad in any way, so interchanging iPro lenses from device to device is a breeze.
The iPro System is available in kits or by individual lenses or components, so the user can customize a system to suit their needs. To order, or for more information, visit www.iprolens.com.
Adobe’s Lightroom has become the dominant image-organizing and non-destructive-editing application among serious photographers. However, it has been very awkward to integrate mobile devices into a Lightroom-based workflow. Not only has it been inconvenient to incorporate images shot on a mobile device, but unless your tablet runs a full version of Windows, it hasn’t been possible to review, edit, or share your images on the go in a way that is compatible with your main Lightroom system and catalogs. Adobe has just changed all that with Adobe Lightroom mobile — available today for the Apple iPad. Lightroom mobile allows you to view and edit your existing Lightroom collections on your mobile device, and to create new collections from your mobile images.
Adobe has made the process of sharing a collection with your iPad amazingly simple and efficient. You simply mark collections in your desktop or laptop Lightroom as “Sync with Lightroom mobile.” Adobe then uploads smart previews of those images to its cloud-based servers, that are then downloaded by Lightroom mobile for review and editing.
To get started you’ll need the new Lightroom 5.4 — a free update for registered Lightroom users, available today. You’ll also need to have a subscription to one of Adobe’s Creative Cloud offerings. You simply log into your Adobe account and link your desktop or laptop Lightroom to your mobile device once you’ve installed Lightroom mobile from the App Store on your iPad. The app is currently only available for iPads running iOS 7, with the iPhone scheduled as the next supported platform, followed by Android. Lightroom mobile makes image editing fun
I get to see a lot of compelling software demos, and Adobe’s Tom Hogarty gives some of the better ones. So I wasn’t surprised that he was passionate about the advantages of Lightroom on the iPad, and made using Lightroom mobile look not only useful but fun for reviewing and editing images. I wasn’t even surprised that when he handed me his iPad and showed me around the interface it was straightforward and easy to learn. Unlike with a lot of other products that demo well but fizzle in real life, when I had a chance to set Lightroom mobile up for real with my image collections and my iPad, it was actually as easy to use and as fun as when I demoed it. Adobe has done an amazing job of stripping down the basic tasks of image review (simple thumbs up, thumbs down), and editing, into something intuitive and tablet-friendly.
The first thing you see after logging in with your Adobe ID is a screen of your collections — the ones that you have synced from your desktop or laptop Lightroom. You can also create a collection of photos from your iPad’s camera roll that will show up on the main screen. Touching a collection brings it up in a stylish grid for quick reviewing. From here, selecting an image displays it in Loupe View — where you can examine and edit it in detail.
Loupe View offers four different modes: Filmstrip shows thumbnails of the collection below the image, Adjustments lets you edit the image non-destructively using Lightroom’s Basic settings, Presets lets you apply any of a number of Adobe-defined settings, and Crop lets you crop the image. The Adjustments are dead simple to use. You simply click on the adjustment you want to change and a slider appears that you can move left or right to increase or decrease its value. You can also share the finished image from here.
Lightroom mobile’s clean UI is augmented with some simple gestures. Swiping up flags an image as a “Pick,” while swiping down makes it a “Reject.” A three-fingered touch switches between your original and edited image. Adobe was very careful with the design of the Loupe View to make sure it would work in both portrait and landscape modes — as well as eventually on the smaller screen of the iPhone and other smartphones.
Technology is just becoming more and more interesting this days
Sony unveils digital paper tablet
Sony has unveiled a tablet barely 7mm thick that is built around an A4-sized touchscreen made of electronic paper.
The Digital Paper tablet uses the well-known E-ink display and lets people write notes on and annotate the documents it displays. Designed for office use, Sony said that the low-power device should work for three weeks without needing to be recharged.
The wi-fi using gadget will go on sale in May and should cost $1,100 (£660).
The tablet is the first kind of it's own to be built using a new version of E-Ink's display technology developed in collaboration with Sony.
All the earlier versions of the low power display are built on glass substrates making them heavy and relatively thick. The new type of display, called Mobius, is built on plastic, making it about half the weight of one made using glass. The screen has a 1200 x 1600 resolution dot display. The tablet displays documents in the Adobe PDF format and these can be written upon using the gadget's stylus. Documents prepared in other formats are converted to PDF before being displayed.
Despite being a touchscreen the device also retains some of the properties of paper and allows a user to rest their hand on the display while they write. It has 4GB of internal storage that can be supplemented using micro SD memory cards.
A prototype of the Digital Paper tablet was shown off in May 2013 in demonstrations that emphasised the flexibility of its screen. However, the tablet being released in May is rigid as it has a plastic case. Publicity material provided by Sony suggests versions that retain their flexibility are in development.
This is a bit shocking , Twitter users in Turkey report that the social media site has been blocked in the country. Some users trying to open the twitter.com website are apparently being redirected to a statement by Turkey's telecommunications regulator.
It cites a court order to apply "protection measures" on the website.
This comes after PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to "wipe out Twitter" following damaging allegations of corruption in his inner circle.
The BBC's James Reynolds in Istanbul reports that he is unable to access Twitter.
"I don't care what the international community says at all. Everyone will see the power of the Turkish Republic," Mr Erdogan said earlier on Thursday.
He spoke after some users had posted documents reportedly showing evidence of corruption relating to the prime minister - a claim he denies.
His office said that Twitter had not responded to Turkey's court rulings to remove some links, forcing Ankara to act.
Twitter has so far made no public comment on the issue.
There are about 10m Twitter users across Turkey.
In 2010, the country lifted its ban on YouTube - two years after it blocked access to the website because of videos deemed insulting to the country's founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
Apple releases iOS 7.0.2, fixes lock screen security bug
Apple has released an update for iOS 7 – iOS 7.0.2. The update fixes a bug that let users bypass the passcode security lock screen. The issue was discovered in a matter of hours after iOS 7 was released to the public.
The OS update reads, “Fixes the bug that could allow someone to bypass the lock screen passcode. Reintroduces a Greek keyboard option for passcode entry.”
Passcode on the lock screen gives you a basic level of security. When the passcode is active, no one can access the content on your phone, unless they know the passcode. Bypassing the passcode on iOS 7 was a bit tricky. Users needed to access the control center by swiping up from the bottom of the display and accessing the alarm clock. After that, hold the power button for a while which will give you the option to switch off the phone. Cancel that option. After than you can double tap the home button to bring up the multitasking menu, which will give you access to the camera and stored photos along with any logged-in email and social networking accounts.
If you haven’t updated your iOS device to 7.0.2, you can do so by going into the settings option, then “General,” and selecting “Software Update.”
FACEBOOK GOES BACK TO BASICS WITH LATEST NEWS FEED
REDESIGN BUT THE QUESTION IS HOW MANY USERS LIKES THE NEW DESIGN?
Almost exactly one year ago, Facebook laid out its vision for the future of News Feed. Facebook spent months refining its new design, which touted huge photos, a dynamic navigation bar, and Tumblr-esque profile photos. The company rolled out its new design to a fraction of its billion users, and then called the whole thing off. Users hated the new design. So for its next News Feed, Facebook went back to square one.
Today the social network is unveiling its latest design for News Feed, which takes learnings from its failed trial and applies them to a familiar but fresh design that it plans to roll out globally over the next few weeks. The new News Feed looks almost exactly like Facebook's mobile News Feed, bearing new iconography, bigger photos, new fonts (Helvetica and Arial), and story cards. The design ditches the prominent drop-down menu of feeds Facebook championed in its designs last March, and sticks them back in the left sidebar. In other words, Facebook's dreams about turning your News Feed into a newspaper of RSS-like feeds are officially over. News feeds like "All Friends," "Groups," and "Photos" have been removed entirely.
A comparison of Facebook's old (above) and new (below) News Feeds reveals the move to a cleaner look. "People don't like us moving their furniture around, because you break muscle memory," says News Feed product manager Greg Marra. Facebook's dark-themed sidebar, which collapsed into a strip of icons depending on your screen size, was just too confusing for most users, he says. "That's a particular design idea that looked cool but didn't help you get around the site," Marra says. "You don't need to relearn anything that was one of our big themes." Facebook has also redesigned and simplified what were previously considered complex post types. If a friend commented on a post about a link that two friends shared, indentations while accurate in terms of attribution — made things look really messy, Marra says. Profile photos have also notably been moved back inside story cards, like in the old News Feed, to limit clutter. please comment of what you think of the new design.
Facebook's purchase of mobile messaging service WhatsApp has been opposed by privacy groups.
Mark Zuckerberg's firm is planning to buy the company for around £11bn.
Opponents want US regulators to stop the deal until Facebook provides more information on what it plans to do with the personal data of WhatsApp's users.
But Facebook said it will operate as a separate company and honour existing privacy arrangements, which include not collecting user data for advertising.
"WhatsApp built a user-base based on its commitment not to collect user data for advertising revenue," read a complaint filed with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC). It was drawn up by two non-profit groups, the Electronic Privacy Information Center and the Center for Digital Democracy.
They added: "Users provided detailed personal information to the company including private text to close friends. Facebook routinely makes use of user information for advertising purposes and has made clear that it intends to incorporate the data of WhatsApp users into the user profiling business model. "The proposed acquisition will therefore violate WhatsApp users' understanding of their exposure to online advertising and constitutes an unfair and deceptive trade practice, subject to investigation by the Federal Trade Commission." And the groups, which work on research and consumer protection online, asked the regulators to investigate the deal "specifically with regard to the ability of Facebook to access WhatsApp's store of user mobile phone numbers and metadata". 'Insulate'
Facebook, the world's top social network with 1.2 billion users, generates the majority of its revenue by showing ads that target users by age, gender and other traits.
"As we have said repeatedly, WhatsApp will operate as a separate company and will honour its commitments to privacy and security," Facebook said in a statement seen by Reuters. Facebook announced its intention to buy WhatsApp, which has 450 million users who are able to send instant messages and other media over mobile, with cash and stock.
There is no charge for individual messages, which are sent using wi-fi or data connections, making it cheaper than SMS messaging in many cases. Other users pay around £0.60 per year subscription. Referring to the business model, Jan Koum wrote on the WhatsApp website: "When people ask us why we charge for WhatsApp, we say, 'Have you considered the alternative?'"
Despite assurances by WhatsApp and Facebook that the privacy policies will not change, the groups noted that Mark Zuckerberg's social networking company has in the past amended an acquired-company's privacy policies. Notably, it did so with the Instagram photo-sharing service that it bought in 2012. Regulators must require that Facebook "insulate" WhatsApp user information from access by Facebook's data collection practices, read the complaint, which was dated 6 March 2014.
"WhatsApp users could not reasonably have anticipated that by selecting a pro-privacy messaging service, they would subject their data to Facebook's data collection practices," read the filing.
The FTC will decide whether the acquisition can go ahead and, if so, whether or not conditions should be imposed.
Opera browser for Android updated with video chats via Web RTC, and more.
Opera Software has launched the 20th iteration of Opera browser for Android (the company is also calling it Opera 20 for Android), with a number of tweaks along with a major update for WebRTC, a real-time communication API definition. With the WebRTC support, the updated Opera browser for Android gives users the option of video chatting directly from the browser app, eliminating the need to download other apps for the same. The WebRTC-enabled browser can also take up to eight users at a time in a video conference. "You can visit a website to start a video call with anyone using a WebRTC-compatible browser such as Opera 20. All you need to do is visit a site such as appear.in, get an address for your video conference and share it with those you'd like to join," states Opera's official blog post. Additionally, the updated Opera browser for Android will keep the user updated "on the camera and microphone usage", with the help of on-screen requests like seen previously in its desktop version. In addition to WebRTC, the Opera browser for Android includes a number of features. The blog post lists them as: -A fresh look for the Speed Dial reflects a flat design. -Users of Opera for Android can now choose how to set up the browser navigation bars to suit their mobile phone or tablet. -The Chromium core got a kick up to version 33, and multiple bugs in text-wrap and text selection are squashed. -Improvements to search sees the combined search and address bar upgraded, allowing easier search by maintaining the words you search for in the bar.
Vinetoday announced an updated set of rules and regulations that is aimed at putting a stop to pornography on the video sharing service. These changes, according to Twitter, are likely to affect only about one percent of its user base. “For more than 99 percent of our users, this doesn’t really change anything. For the rest: we don’t have a problem with explicit sexual content on the Internet – we just prefer not to be the source of it,” the company said in a statement.
These new rules but a ban on acts on sex (alone or with another person), use of sex toys, provocative nudity, close-up of aroused genitals and sexual act or animation — often called Hentai. While pornographic content has been banned, Vine still allows users to post some forms of nudity as long as it is featured in a documentary, art and not sexually provocative.
First time offenders will have their account temporarily suspended until the offensive content is removed. Repeated offenders, on the other hand, will see their accounts permanently discontinued.
Since its launch last year, Vine has been struggling to contain the rise in adult content. Even if the videos were limited to sex seconds, Vine soon became known for short porn clips, sometimes posted by porn stars themselves. TechCrunch’s John Biggs too wrote about Vine’s Porn Problems days after the service’s launch. According to CNN, the timing of the pornography ban is not a coincidence, and the move may in fact be triggered by the incident which saw a pornographic video accidentally put up on the Editor’s Picks’ section and shared widely on the service.
A lobby group of American mothers has spoofed Facebook's "Look Back" video to campaign against the site's policy on guns.
The world's biggest social networking site Facebook has tightened its rules on posts relating to guns.
The site said it will remove posts from users who "indicate a willingness" to break the law - like requiring no background check - to sell firearms.
Access to posts related to sale of guns and other regulated items will be restricted to users over the age of 18.
Facebook has been under pressure from lobbying groups to alter its policy on such posts.
While the website is not an e-commerce platform, people use it to promote their goods and solicit buyers.
"People sometimes use our free tools to discuss products that are regulated or controversial," the firm said in a blog post.
It said that people had expressed concerns about the offers "for the private sales of firearms" on the site.
"It is one of many areas where we face a difficult challenge balancing individuals' desire to express themselves on our services, and recognizing that this speech may have consequences elsewhere."
The firm said that it had worked with various stakeholders, including New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, to develop the new rules.
Under the guidelines, private sellers of firearms in the US will not be permitted to specify "no background check required", nor can they offer to transact across state lines "without a licensed firearms dealer".
The new regulations, which will be enforced in the coming weeks, will also apply to its photo sharing site Instagram.
On 8 April Microsoft will end support for the venerable Windows XP operating system. That means no more security patches, software updates or bug fixes for the software.
It's an event that Microsoft has been warning people and businesses about for months. And it is one that hi-tech thieves have been looking forward to as those digital protections start to diminish.
In a bid to get users shifting over to a more modern version of windows, Microsoft has created a website that tells people if they are, or are not, running the software and on 8 March will make a pop-up warning appear on the screens of those who are still using it. Microsoft is also working with some other software firms to help people work out how to update and upgrade and has made tools that transfer data and settings over to a new version of Windows so the switch is as painless as possible.
Long life
Windows XP (for "eXPerience") went on sale in October 2001 and has proved remarkably resilient. Figures from market research firm Net Applications suggest that it was the most widely used Microsoft operating system until August 2012 when it was overtaken by Windows 7. "We estimate that on 9 April we will see 20-25% of all enterprise PCs running XP," said Michael Silver, a research vice-president at consultancy Gartner.
The software is still popular in many government departments and some studies suggest the majority of the world's cash machines still run it.
"The longevity is not because of anything special that has to do with XP," said Mr Silver, "it's actually as outlined in the support life cycle Microsoft laid out in 2004."
Under that life cycle Microsoft commits to providing different levels of support for software products depending on their age and that of the products that succeed them. Delays in the versions of Windows that came after XP extended the support life for the operating system. Add to this the hard work it takes for companies to get applications running on new versions of Windows and its no surprise that companies have stuck with it.
However, said Mr Silver, people and businesses should be getting on with shifting to something newer.
"If you are only acting now you are pretty late," he said.
Many of the world's cash machines are believed to be still running Windows XP
Secure session
One of the reasons that Microsoft is keen to stop people using XP is because it is feared that once the security updates stop, anyone still using XP will be a tempting target for hi-tech thieves. This was especially true given the work that Microsoft had done to harden more recent versions of Windows against attack, said James Lyne, director of technology strategy at security firm Sophos.
"It's got harder for the bad guys to come up with working exploits for more modern Windows platforms," he said. Windows 7 and 8 now employ several different techniques that hide the internal workings of the operating system from attackers. Cybercriminals keen to steal data or compromise machines often get a foothold by exploiting a problem in an application such as a web browser. Then they piggyback on the access that application has to a PC's memory to burrow their way in deeper.
Exploits had far less chance to work on those more up-to-date versions of Windows because of the very different way they moved data in and out of different places in memory, he said. As a result, anyone sticking with XP could be at risk as it will be easier to crack than Windows 7 or 8. Unfortunately, said Jason Steer from security firm Fire Eye, the biggest security threats to XP may be outside Microsoft's control. "About 90% of the vulnerabilities for Windows XP are found in third-party programs," he said.
This meant that cybercriminals used bugs in programs from Adobe and Oracle's Java to get at Windows users rather than look for a specific operating system vulnerability, he said. Doubtless the end of security support will mean bugs in those other programs will have more success at catching people out.
Windows XP is still very popular in China and many people use pirated copies of the software
"Every one of our customers brings up the problem of XP," said Mr Steer, from Fire Eye, adding that companies that had not upgraded by now were not going to able to manage the swap in the next 30 days. "Those upgrade and update projects can take 12-18 months to roll out," said Mr Steer. "They are going to have to mitigate that risk in other ways."
Delaying had other problems too, said Mr Silver from Gartner. Some software firms that make programs that ran on XP no longer test on the operating system. Some had ditched XP versions a couple of years ago, he said, so keeping on with that older application could end up being costly. And then there is the problem of China. Windows XP is still hugely popular in mainland China but Microsoft has much less control over these machines because so many of them are running pirated versions of the software.
Those pirates are unlikely to want to pay for a new operating system when they did not pay for the last one they got.
The Chinese authorities are known to have had meetings with Microsoft asking it to extend support so XP users are not left at risk. Microsoft reportedly refused to make a special case for the country. Now some of China's native security firms are banding together to help provide updates and security fixes on their own.
Microsoft, it seems, is going to be haunted by XP for a long time to come.
The reality appears to be that the connected vehicle is no longer such a far-off aspiration.
Apple makes its next move in hands-free smartphone technology for car drivers when it unveils a new, integrated iPhone voice-control system at the Geneva Motor Show this week
The race to dominate the in-car technology market took a new turn this week whenApple unveiled its long-awaited in-car system, CarPlay. Originally discussed at last year’s Apple Worldwide Developer Conference, the new system will be available as an update to iOS7 and provides access to calls, messages, maps and music through a mixture of voice control with Apple’s “digital assistant” Siri and the car’s built-in system.
First to get it are Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo, with other manufacturers expected to follow. “The car effectively becomes the second screen for the iPhone,” said Forrester analyst Frank Gillett. “This will make things extremely easy for consumers to use, because we already know how to use our Apple devices.”
Apple made the announcement ahead of this year’s motor show in Geneva. Emerging market It’s another step indicating that mobile makers are looking more seriously at cars as a new market. The days when in-car technology was limited to your music system – the iPod has supported integration with some cars for a decade or more – and possibly GPS if your budget stretched to it are long since gone.
These days, it’s common to find Bluetooth built into your vehicle, with more expensive options including a built-in mobile connections to download everything from updated maps to the latest news headlines.
For the car firms it’s an admission that their proprietary systems didn’t meet the needs or tastes of younger tech-savy customers who were more excited by the latest apps than the latest Audi. There’s a cohort of urban middle-class twentysomethings that are apathetic to the motoring world but fixated on gadgets. Rather than trying to compete with the tech firms for in-car infotainment, auto firms are now resigned to letting their dashboards be conduits for software applications from dedicated tech giants.
A study by Accenture last year indicated that almost 40 per cent of car buyers rate in-vehicle technology as a main selling point when it came to buying a vehicle. That compares with 14 per cent who said performance of power and speed would be their first point of interest.
At major technology shows such as consumer electronics show CES, it’s no longer unusual to see carmakers unveiling their wares alongside laptop makers and mobile firms. This year’s CES had a record number of car firms exhibit at the event, while Mobile World Congress in Barcelona has also played host to firms such as Ford.
Innovate to prosper At the Geneva Motor Show this week, Mercedes-Benz boss Dieter Zetsche laid out the reality as he sees it, telling attendees that carmakers would need to make sure vehicles could connect to mobile devices and the internet to ensure survive.
“Virtually no product, including the automobile, is purchased or used in a vacuum,” he said. “We all know that the iPod, for example, was not just a game changer based solely on design or technology. It is also about the convenient connection to iTunes.”
Mercedes-Benz is hedging its bets – while signed up with Apple, it said it will also ensure that its cars will work with Android technology, which has a larger share of the smartphone market than Apple.
Mercedes used the Geneva show to unveil its new service brand “Mercedes me”, which allows car owners to access service bookings or access the company’s car-sharing business car2go.
In addition to allowing car owners to customise their own entertainment and communications packages, BMW’s in-car technology also provides a revenue stream for the company, through ConnectedDrive. It also means that consumers can upgrade at the touch of a button, adding new services such as concierge and real-time traffic data subscriptions without having to set foot in a garage.
While the high-end vehicles have had the advanced technology for some time, it seems more keenly-priced vehicles are also getting the smart treatment as car firms try to tap into an increasingly tech savvy younger audience.
“What used to be a feature seen in premium cars is now coming into the low and medium end of the market,” said Dinesh Paliwal, chief executive of Harman International, which makes “infotainment“ systems. “It‘s driven by a change in lifestyle where people no longer want to stop being connected just because they are in a car.“
Sync system In-car technology an area that Microsoft has been active in for some time. The company’s Windows Embedded Automotive technology has been used in Ford cars for its Sync system since 2007, allowing users to make calls and play music handsfree, as well as navigate and perform vehicle health checks. More than seven million Ford cars on the road have the Sync system and, as car buyers look for more high-tech extras, that looks set to rise.
However, technology moves fast, as Microsoft has found to its cost. Ford is dropping its Microsoft link from 2016. Reasons for the move have been the source of much speculation, from flaws in in-car technology to the desire for something speedier and more flexible.
Microsoft’s loss could be BlackBerry’s gain if reports are true. The troubled smartphone maker may have been struggling in its once dominant market, but it seems that it may have struck gold in car technology, with Ford said to be eyeing its QNX platform as a replacement. QNX, considered one of the jewels in BlackBerry’s crown, is also used by Audi, Porsche, BMW, Chrysler, Porsche and Saab vehicles.
The QNX technology also has the added advantage of being less expensive, a weighty consideration for companies facing increased competition.
However, it’s not all about infotainment. While some technology has been developed for entertainment and communication, there are other developments focused on safety and reducing accidents.
That is where the “self-driving” car technology has come into play, with everything from self-parking cars to cars that will identify potential hazards on the road already on the market. It’s set to go a step further in the future, although there are some issues still to resolve – such as who bears responsibility in the case of an accident.
Google’s self-driving cars, kitted out with a array of sensors, are being trialled on the streets of Nevada. Daimler said last year it plans to have a self-driving car on the market before 2020, while BMW has also been testing cars that can change lanes automatically, adjust speed according to surrounding traffic and generally take over the more tedious parts of the commute.
However, the important element of the equation is that the driver can take over at any moment should something unexpected happen. Daimler’s system is similar, allowing drivers to take back control when conditions are more challenging, such as traffic lights or cyclists in urban locations.
The reality appears to be that the connected vehicle is no longer a far-off aspiration.
In addition to releasing new versions of the system software at regular intervals, Apple also releases a stream of free software updates to enrich your computing experience. Mac OS X automatically checks weekly for software updates provided you have an internet connection.
You can choose a different schedule, or check manually if you don’t have a continuous Internet connection. If Software Update finds an item to download, it appears in a list. Click on an item to get a description before downloading it. If you see updates that you will never use, such as a language you don’t speak or drivers for a printer you don’t own, choose Make Inactive from the Update menu.
To get updates immediately, follow these steps:
Choose System Preferences from the Apple Menu.
Choose Software Update from the View menu.
Click Update Now.
Select the items you want to install, then click Install.
Enter an Admin user name and password.
After the update is complete, restart the computer if necessary.
XBOX ONE INDIE PROGRAM NOW INCLUDE PROJECTS FROM LIMBO, CRUSH, AND TONY HAWK DEVS
Microsoft’s ID@Xbox program continues to grow, with the company revealing in a new Xbox Wire post a diverse assortment of indie developers now signed up to create content for the Xbox One. You’ll see a whole bunch of familiar names on the list, which includes more than 60 different studios with varying degrees of experience. The Behemoth is perhaps best-known for its one-time Xbox 360 exclusive brawler Castle Crashers (later released for other platforms). Playdead is the team behind Limbo. Zoe Mode created the inventive PlayStation Portable/Nintendo 3DS platform-puzzler Crush. Robomodo worked on several latter-day Tony Hawk titles, including the most recent, an HD re-release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater.
There are plenty of other familiar names as well. Just run down the list and search out each one, and you’ll see big teams, tiny teams, and virtually everything in between. This is only the latest ID@Xbox reveal for Microsoft. A December update confirmed that more than 30 different studios are working on Xbox One content, including Crytek and Double Fine. Microsoft Studios boss Phil Spencer revealed a month later that a new Worms game from Team17 and Ninjabee’s Nutjitsu will be among the first ID@Xbox releases. Sure, some of these games actually have to come out before we get too excited, but there continues to be lots of promise in Microsoft’s under-explored, under-discussed indie publishing initiative.
INTEL REVEALS 730 SERIES SSDS, WHICH START AT $249, SHIP MARCH 18, AND LOOK PRETTY METAL
Looking to dump your mechanical driver in favor of a super-fast SSD? If so, Intel just announced something that might be right up your alley.
And oh, by the way, it looks pretty metal – at least as far as PC components go.
The chip-maker just took the wraps off a new solid state drive, dubbed the 730 series, which sportsa silver finish that would look right at home inside the torso or head of a T-800 Terminator. It’s also got a Terminator-like skull on the top panel as well, which we find to be simultaneously cool/awesome and ominous. As a metal fan, I personally appreciate the touch. Thankfully though, that’s where the similarities between the 730 Series and the murderous, tank-like cyborg end.
Shipping in capacities of either 240GB or 480GB, the Intel 730 Series SSD is, as you probably expected, of the 2.5-inch variety, and is also 7mm thick. It also consumes up to 5.5 watts of power when active and as little as 1.3 watts when sitting idle.
As for data transfer rates, the Intel 730 Series SSD’s read time hits a maximum of 550MB per second, while its write time tops out at 470MB per tick. Of course, we’ll be able to get a better handle on the legitimacy of those states once we have some 730 Series drives in hand for testing. Intel’s internal tests were conducted on systems equipped with the company’s very own elite Core i7-4770K processor, an Intel Z87 chipset and 8GB PC3 of RAM.
You can snag the 240GB Intel 730 Series SSD for $249, while the 480GB version run you $489. The drives will begin shipping on March 18, roughly three weeks from now.
Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1 build on Windows 8 and Windows RT, to bring you enhancements in
personalization , search, apps, the Windows Store, and cloud connectivity, and has the security and reliability
features you expect from Windows. It's fast and made to work on a variety of devices—especially on
the new generation of touch devices.
If your PC is currently running Windows 8 or Windows RT, it's free to update to Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1.
And unlike previous updates to Windows, you'll get this update from the Windows Store.
1. Before you begin
The system requirements for Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1 are nearly the same as the requirements for Windows 8—if your PC is already running Windows 8 (or Windows RT), in most cases, you can get the free update
to Windows 8.1 (or Windows RT 8.1).
But before you begin, here are some things to keep in mind.
Your files, desktop apps, user accounts, and settings come with you. Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1 come with some new built-in apps, and it will update or replace some of your existing built-in apps. Your existing Windows Store apps don't come with you, but once the update is complete, you can reinstall all of these apps at once—or just the ones you want. For more info, see the Welcome to the new Windows section of this page.
We'll check your desktop apps and devices for you. As part of the update, we check your current desktop apps and connected devices, and let you know what you'll need to do to get them ready for the update, or to get them working again after the update. In most cases, you won't need to do anything—most desktop apps, devices (like printers), and network connections will work normally after the update. If you have particular desktop apps or devices you're concerned about, you can check their compatibility in the Windows Compatibility Center .
Consider using a Microsoft account to sign in to your PC. If you already use a Microsoft account to sign in toWindows 8 or Windows RT, you’ll use that same account to sign in to Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1.
If you don’t, we recommend that you start using a Microsoft account in Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1. Simply put, it’s the glue that holds together so many useful features of the new Windows: the ability to download apps from the Store, automatic syncing of your settings and documents between your PCs, backing up your photos to the cloud so you can get to them from anywhere, and seeing all your contacts from multiple email and social networking accounts together in the People and Mail apps.
If you already have an account you use with Outlook.com, Xbox LIVE, Windows Phone, or Skype, then you already have a Microsoft account. If you use more than one of these, we can help you figure out which email address to use.
You can keep working while the update is installing. Download and installation times vary from about 30 minutes to several hours, depending on your Internet connection speed, and the speed and configuration of your PC, but you can still use your PC while the update is installing in the background. During this time, if you decide to leave your PC unattended, be sure to save your work and close any apps you have open first, in case your PC needs to restart automatically while you’re away. After it restarts, you won't be able to use your PC for a little while (from about 20 minutes to an hour), while the updates are being applied. After that phase is complete, we'll walk you through choosing a few basic settings and then Windows will finish applying any final updates that are needed.
2. Prepare your PC
There are a few things you should do before you start installing.
Back up your files. Although your files and apps come with you when you update to Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1, it's a good idea to make sure that your files are backed up first by setting up File History.
Make sure you have enough free disk space. If you're currently running Windows 8, you need 3,000 MB of available space to install the 32-bit version of Windows 8.1, and 3,850 MB of available space to install the 64-bit version ofWindows 8.1. On a Windows RT device, you need 2,250 MB of available disk space to install Windows RT 8.1. For more info, see Tips to free up drive space on your PC.
Plug in your laptop or tablet. It's important to keep your PC plugged in throughout the update process, because if you lose power before it's done, the update might not install properly.
Connect to the Internet. It's best to stay connected until the update is done. If you don't, you’ll need to connect again to finish setting up later, and setup will take longer.
Get the latest critical and important updates. There are some updates you might need before you can installWindows 8.1. In most cases, the latest updates will be installed automatically using Windows Update. But if you don’t have automatic updates turned on and you need to check for updates manually, or if you'd like to check to see when the latest updates were installed, you can do this from Windows Update. For more info, see Windows Update: Frequently asked questions.
Temporarily turn off your antivirus program. Some antivirus software might interfere with the installation. After you install Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1, remember to turn your antivirus program back on.
3. Get the free update
Ready? Now you can download the free update from the Windows Store.
Go to the Start screen, and tap or click the Store tile.
Store tile on the Start screen
In the Store, tap or click the Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1 update. if you don't see the update on the Store home screen, see Why can't I find the update in the Store?
Tap or click Download.
The update will download and install in the background while you use your PC to do other things. The installer will check to make sure you have enough disk space, that your apps and devices will work with Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1, and that you have all the required updates.
In some cases, the installer might find something you need to take care of before you can continue installing the update. If so, you'll see a message telling you what you need to do.
Note
If the installation is interrupted for any reason, you can restart the update from where you left off by going back to the Store and downloading the update again.
4. Restart
After the update is downloaded and the first phase of the installation is complete (which could take between 15 minutes and a few hours, depending on your system and your connection speed), you'll see a message telling you that your PC needs to restart. It will give you 15 minutes to finish what you’re working on, save your work, and close your apps, and then it will restart your PC for you. Or you can restart it yourself.
Message warning of restart
Important
If you leave your PC before it's ready to restart, be sure to save your work and close any desktop apps you're using to make sure you don't lose anything when it restarts automatically. Your PC might need to restart more than once, depending on how it’s set up, and whether additional updates are needed.
Restarting will take longer than usual—from 20 minutes to about an hour—while the update is applied. During this time, you won't be able to use your PC.
5. Choose your settings
License terms
After your PC finishes restarting, you'll be presented with the Microsoft software license terms. Review the terms, and then tap or click I accept to continue. If you don't accept the terms, this cancels the installation of Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1, and your PC will roll back to Windows 8 or Windows RT.
Express settings
You'll see a list of recommended settings, called express settings. To accept these settings and continue, tap or click Use express settings. You can change any of these settings later, after you finish setting up. If you'd like to change some of these settings now, tap or click Customize.
Express settings shown during setup
For more info, tap or click Learn more about express settings. To learn about how these settings affect your privacy, tap or click Privacy statement.
Sign in
Next, you'll be asked to sign in.
Signing in with a Microsoft account
If you already use a Microsoft account to sign in to Windows 8 or Windows RT, your account name will be filled in for you. If you previously used a local account for this, you'll need to sign in with your local account first, and then we'll ask you to set up a Microsoft account, which you can use to sign in to your PC after the update.
Enter your Microsoft account email address, if needed, and your password.
We'll send a security code to the alternate email address or phone number you've set up for this account, and you'll need to enter that code to verify that you're the owner of the account. This helps us protect your account and devices when you access sensitive info. If you don't have alternate contact info set up for the account yet, you'll be asked to provide it now.
If you signed in to your PC using a Microsoft account before you installed Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1, then you might not need to enter a security code.
Next, you'll be asked to choose an email address you'd like to use as a Microsoft account. This can be any email address you use, and isn't limited to addresses that come from Microsoft. Enter the email address that you use the most. We'll use it to set up the Mail and People apps for you with email and contacts that you already use every day.
Enter the password you'd like to use, and fill in the rest of the info, including your first name, last name, and your country or region.
Next, you'll also be asked to provide an alternate email address or phone number where we can reach you by email, phone, or text message (SMS). This helps us protect your account and devices whenever you access sensitive info using this account. After you enter this info, we'll send a message to you containing a security code, and you'll need to enter that code to verify that you're the owner of the account.
If this is your first time setting up a PC with Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1, you'll see the new SkyDrive options.
If you already have another PC running Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1, and you chose to sync settings on that PC, then yourSkyDrive settings will also sync from your existing PC to this one, and you might not see this screen.
SkyDrive options during setup
If you click Next on this screen, your PC will use these default SkyDrive settings:
Photos you take with this PC are saved to your camera roll folder on this PC, and a smaller copy of each photo is automatically backed up to your SkyDrive.
When you create a new document, the default save location is SkyDrive. But you can always choose to save individual documents locally or on another drive.
Windows will save a backup copy of your PC settings to SkyDrive. If something ever happens to your PC and you need to replace it, your settings are saved in the cloud and you can transfer them to a new PC instantly.
You can change any of these settings later in PC settings. If you'd prefer to turn off all of these settings now, tap or click Turn off these SkyDrive settings (not recommended).
Final updates
Because Windows is always being updated, it’s possible that critical updates have become available since Windows 8.1 andWindows RT 8.1 were finalized. Windows checks for these critical updates when you finish setting up Windows 8.1 orWindows RT 8.1 for the first time, and if it finds any, it will download them automatically. Downloading and installing these updates might take a few minutes, depending on the updates you need. Your PC might also need to restart one or more times to complete the updates.
6. Welcome to the new Windows
The new Start screen will appear.
The new Start screen
Much of it will look familiar, but if you'd like to explore what's new and how to get around, check out this Start screen page.
Your desktop apps come with you when you update to Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1, but you'll need to reinstall your Windows Store apps. You can see all of the Windows Store apps you own in the Your apps section of the Store. From here, you can choose the ones you want to install on your updated PC, and install them all at once.
Installing apps from Your apps page in Store
To reinstall apps from the Store
On the Start screen, tap or click the Store tile to open the Windows Store.
Swipe down from the top edge of the screen or right-click, and then tap or click Your apps.
Select all the apps you want to install, and then tap or click Install.
Notes
You can also reinstall apps from the Start screen by tapping or clicking the tiles.
You don't need to wait for the apps to finish installing. They'll keep installing in the background while you do other things.
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Many of the world's cash machines are believed to be still running Windows XP
Windows XP is still very popular in China and many people use pirated copies of the software
